Jonathan currently enjoys an unprecedented goodwill among Nigerians. His political maturity and  magnanimity reflects the much desired statesmanship that is craved by well meaning Nigerians who are fed up with the version of “do or die” politics that have characterized the Nigerian political landscape in the last decade.

In the wake of the intrigues that followed former President Umaru Yar Adua’s illness and his ultimate demise, Jonathan exhibited such equanimity amidst pulsating pressures to be assertive in order to check the unbridled political deception foisted on Nigerians by the said “cabal”.

This posture he adopted, undoubtedly, to a great extent, stabilized the country during one of the most trying times Nigeria could have ever faced politically since the turbulence that led to the civil war. In a show of brash disregard and deception, a section of the Federal Cabinet seriously undermined the person and position of Goodluck Jonathan as then Vice President in such an infuriating manner and to the chagrin of the rest of the country.

Knowing the gravity of fanning the already inflamed embers by subjecting the then issues to divisive politics, he managed to comport himself and avoided all possible confrontations over the issue. Never a time in the history of Nigeria has such a leader as selfless and mature as Jonathan with rare foresight and sagacity.

Alluding to the divine, it is clear that the resolution of the Yar Adua logjam of presidential vacancy and legal lacuna destined Jonathan to be the president of Nigeria as he now is yet; nothing could be more validating of the aphorism that “destiny drags the indolent but aids the diligent”.

It has taken diligence on the part of Jonathan to determinedly exhibit the astute qualities of statesmanship with discipline that has preserved the Nigerian entity to which he is president today. There is no doubt that the peculiar personality of whoever becomes the president of a nation would positively or negatively influence the course of that entire nation.

Today under Jonathan, Nigeria has a new page on which to write a preferable history and so far through the months of his presidency, expected political vindictiveness is conspicuously missing while focus on constitutionalism, merit, national integration and good governance are replete.

The greatest test a nation often faces, especially African countries is the test and challenge of leadership transition. Conflicts in Africa so far have been devilishly orchestrated on the notes of inter-ethnic struggle over leadership and control.

Problems of succession in the past in countries like Liberia, DR Congo, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Rwanda and a host of others including Nigeria have led to conflicts which have resulted in wide spread political instability and unprecedented number of innocent deaths to the shame of the world.

Credible elections have come to be accepted world over as the only means of guaranteeing stability and progress in a democracy _ the government of the people, which has been willy-nilly adopted as the most practical and progressive political pathway for the world.

Jonathan’s current goodwill stems from his personal attributes of good faith and integrity so far amply proved. So when his mantra since assumption of presidential powers has been “credible elections”, it portends great hope for a stable Nigeria in the immediate future. The hope of a sharp departure from sharp political practices of a ruling political party is now near in sight.

The appointment of Attahiru Jega as INEC Chairman by Jonathan has been hailed not only by the Northern extraction but by most Nigerians at home and abroad.

The issue of his appointment does not in any way seem to be placatory of the Northern Nigerian elements who have so far threatened “fire and brimstone” over the need for the presidency to remain in the North; but again it is an issue on the influential extent of a peculiar personality and his ability to deliver with astute efficiency and credibility as a dispassionate, independent and unbiased umpire. Jega is popularly perceived a panacea to the nightmarish INEC of the immediate past

So the question is should Jonathan run in the coming general elections of 2011? Joining a large number of well meaning Nigerians, the answer here is a resounding YES.

May it be humbly asked which leader has so much engendered trust among the Nigerian people and polity like Goodluck Jonathan?

Should the Nigerian people therefore be deprived of the right to further experience the much evasive hope for a better Nigeria that Jonathan now holds and provides?

In a “hope index” which  now ranks Jonathan very high, even he himself is precluded from deciding alone whether or not he should run for the Nigerian presidency. It is only most patriotic and responsible of person who holds the key to the yearnings of the people and so much popularly desired for that purpose to selflessly offer himself to meet those aspirations of the people.

HenryUkrakpo wrote from Paris.